Circle of friends

Writing Prompt: A Friend In Need (200 words)

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*A friend in need is a pain in the ass. And Sally was no friend.

‘You owe me.’ With those three words, I was hooked into a situation that had nothing to do with me. But she was right. And if I did this one thing, we’d be even.

That’s how I found myself at a wine bar on a Wednesday night, perched on a stool and pretending to make an informed decision about a glass of plonk that would set me back more than a decent six-pack of beer.

Sally was at a table near the door, head bowed close to a stranger’s. The loud music, designed to create a vibe, meant I couldn’t eavesdrop. But I knew Sally well enough to see that she was making a point, her dark red fingernail tapping on the table between two barely touched glasses of merlot.

I was there as a back-up in case things got messy. And knowing Sally, this was a definite possibility. The chatty barman asked me if I’d decided yet, and I pointed at the cheapest glass on the specials list.

Then it all seemed to happen at once. Tables upended, people shouting, splashes of red on clothing. Was it blood or merlot, I wondered, pushing my way towards Sally.

5 responses to “Writing Prompt: A Friend In Need (200 words)”

  1. msw blog Avatar
    msw blog

    Sally is not a true friend—real friends don’t keep score of favors. I also loved the line, “perched on a stool and pretending to make an informed decision about a glass of plonk that would cost more than a decent six-pack of beer.” Alcohol is so expensive when dinning out. I recently got sticker shock when I saw a wine menu where the cheapest glass was $24—yikes.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. jml297 Avatar
      jml297

      Good call about true friendships not keeping score. And $24 for a glass seems excessive! Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts on this one; much appreciated.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. debdancingstarhawken7 Avatar
    debdancingstarhawken7

    Epic…so many directions that could go! Was it her and her date? Did she attack him? Was it a robbery?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. jml297 Avatar
      jml297

      All excellent questions, which I’ll take as suggestions! Something I love about really short prompts is their potential to go in so many different directions. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts on this one. There may be a future installment!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. debdancingstarhawken7 Avatar
    debdancingstarhawken7

    That sounds like a very good idea.

    Liked by 1 person

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